Winston-Salem State University (WSSU), a historical black institution in the Piedmont Triad of North Carolina, seeks to establish a center of research to improve minority health and eliminate health disparities that will (1) conduct original and innovative basic laboratory, behavioral, clinical, and population-based research to eliminate disparities relative to diabetes, HIV/AIDS, cancer, and hypertension/cardiovascular disease; (2) translate health-research outcomes into improvements for Winston Salem's sizeable minority population by leveraging WSSU's long-standing community partnerships; and (3) create new training opportunities for its junior faculty and growing enrollment of undergraduate and graduate students to pursue research interests in minority health or health disparities. The 14 research proposals-six collaborative projects and eight pilot studies-are a blend of basic and applied research, ranging from the proteomics and genomics of type 2 diabetes to structural equation modeling of patient-centerdness to analysis of stress reactivity patterns in hypertensive seniors. Augmented by the outreach and education core components of this proposal, the research agenda for the Exploratory Research Center will position WSSU scientists to make significant contributions in the field of minority health and disparities research, not only to advance the body of scientific knowledge, but to tackle problems that infiltrate the daily lives of their city and state. With a tradition of community service that dates from 1892, WSSU is poised through this Exploratory Research Center to assume local ownership and accountability for improving minority health and reducing disparity to achieve an ultimate vision of health parity in which everyone in the community enjoys good health regardless of their race/ethnicity, disability or socioeconomic status. [unreadable] [unreadable] [unreadable] [unreadable]